This invention relates to a safety mirror and, more particularly, to a mirror system designed to allow a remote driver to selectably move a rearwardly mounted mirror between functional and storage positions, the mirror at a functional position presenting the driver a view of the blind spot at the rear of a truck.
It is known that the area immediately to the rear of a truck produces a blind spot which cannot be viewed by the conventional side view mirrors of a truck as the line of sight of the viewing angle is limited. In some cases this blind spot has lead to dire results as trucks have backed up and injured, if not killed, persons standing in this blind spot.
One response to this problem has been to mount a fixed mirror to the rear of the truck so as to reflect images of objects located in this blind spot for viewing by the driver. The mirror extends beyond the side walls of the truck so that the driver can view the reflected image via the conventional side view mirror.
Problems have arisen with this fixed mirror as the lateral extension of the mirror beyond the side of the truck renders the mirror capable of being damaged by contact with other objects, e.g., the frame of a garage door entry, passing trucks, etc. Also, this fixed mirror extension precludes a fleet of trucks from being parked in a close side-by-side relationship which increases the parking space needed for a truck fleet.
In response thereto I have invented a motorized safety backup mirror system which includes a housing with a mirror pivotally mounted to the rear of a truck, the mirror being movable by a drive train operable by a remote driver between functional and storage positions. In the functional position the mirror extends beyond the side of the truck and towards the blind spot so as to reflect the image of this blind spot at the rear of the truck. At this functional position the reflection of the dead space in the rear mirror may be either directly viewed by the driver or via the conventional side view mirror. The rear mirror is pivotal by driver operation of the drive train to a position behind the truck when the mirror need not be utilized. Thus, the rear mirror need not always laterally extend from the truck so as to avoid the above-discussed problems found with a fixed mirror.
It is therefor a general object of this invention to provide a safety mirror system designed to be maneuvered between functional and storage positions.
A further object of this invention is to provide a mirror system, as aforesaid, which can be operated by a remote driver.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a mirror system, as aforesaid, which reflects an image of the blind spot found behind a vehicle for viewing by a vehicle driver.
Another particular object of this invention is to provide a mirror system, as aforesaid, the blind spot reflected in the mirror for viewing.
A still further particular object of this invention is to provide a mirror system, as aforesaid, which couples the mirror to a motor driven drive assembly for operator movement of the mirror between functional and storage positions.
Another particular object of this invention is to provide a mirror system, as aforesaid, the drive assembly designed to preclude the mirror from moving beyond its functional and/or storage positions.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, a now preferred embodiment of this invention.